CSDC 581

Love must be present in and permeate every social relationship¹²²⁰ Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1889.. This holds true especially for those who are responsible for the good of peoples. They “must earnestly cherish in themselves, and try to rouse in others, charity, the mistress and the queen of virtues. For, the happy results we all long for must be chiefly brought about by the plenteous outpouring of charity; of that true Christian charity which is the fulfilling of the whole Gospel law, which is always ready to sacrifice itself for the sake of others, and is man's surest antidote against worldly pride and immoderate love of self”¹²²¹ Leo XIII, Encyclical Letter Rerum Novarum: Acta Leonis XIII, 11 (1892), 143; cf. Benedict XV, Encyclical Letter Pacem Dei: AAS 12AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See)Volume 12 (1920) at vatican.va — scanned PDF (1920), 215.. This love may be called “social charity”¹²²² Cf. Saint Thomas Aquinas, QD De caritate, a. 9, c; Pius XI, Encyclical Letter Quadragesimo Anno: AAS 23AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See)Volume 23 (1931) at vatican.va — scanned PDF (1931), 206-207; John XXIII, Encyclical Letter Mater et Magistra: AAS 53AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See)Volume 53 (1961) at vatican.va — scanned PDF (1961), 410; Paul VI, Address to FAO (16 November 1970), 11: AAS 62AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See)Volume 62 (1970) at vatican.va — scanned PDF (1970), 837-838; John Paul II, Address to the Members of the Pontifical Commission “Iustitia et Pax” (9 February 1980), 7: AAS 72AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See)Volume 72 (1980) at vatican.va — scanned PDF (1980), 187. or “political charity” ¹²²³ Cf. Paul VI, Apostolic Letter Octogesima Adveniens, 46: AAS 63AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See)Volume 63 (1971) at vatican.va — scanned PDF (1971), 433-435. and must embrace the entire human race¹²²⁴ Cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree Apostolicam Actuositatem, 8: AAS 58AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See)Volume 58 (1966) at vatican.va — scanned PDF (1966), 844-845; Paul VI, Encyclical Letter Populorum Progressio, 44: AAS 59AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See)Volume 59 (1967) at vatican.va — scanned PDF (1967), 279; John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles Laici, 42: AAS 81AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See)Volume 81 (1989) at vatican.va — scanned PDF (1989), 472-476; Catechsim of the Catholic Church, 1939.. “Social love”¹²²⁵ John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Redemptor Hominis, 15: AAS 71AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See)Volume 71 (1979) at vatican.va — scanned PDF (1979), 288. is the antithesis of egoism and individualism. Without absolutizing social life, as happens with short-sighted perspectives limiting themselves to sociological interpretations, it must not be forgotten that the integral development of the person and social growth mutually influence each other. Selfishness, therefore, is the most insidious enemy of an ordered society. History shows how hearts are devastated when men and women are incapable of recognizing other values or other effective realities apart from material goods, the obsessive quest for which suffocates and blocks their ability to give of themselves.